Crossroads United Methodist Church - Lansing, KS

05/31/2026

05/03/2026

But now, thus says the Lord, who created you,…“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name; You are Mine (Isaiah 43:1).

It was the Friday before a holiday weekend. The line at the bank was long as people hurried to withdraw money. The cashier reminded everyone that the ATM was working and could save time. Some stepped out of line to use it, but one woman refused to go to ATM. She said, “ATM don’t ask me about my arthritis. It doesn’t know my name. All it asks is my PIN number” That comment reminds us that we live in a world surrounded by numbers. We have accounts, pin, social security, licenses, numbers and many more. While numbers are good, they are also impersonal. There is something deeply meaningful about being known by name.

God through the risen Christ knows you by name. God says, “Do not fear… I have called you by name, you are mine.” To be called by name is to be known personally, intimately, and lovingly. When God says “you are mine,” it is about relationship and care.

And this truth becomes even more powerful during this easter season. When Mary stood outside the tomb weeping and thought she was speaking to a gardener, Jesus called her by name “Mary” She recognized him as Jesus. That same voice speaks to us today. Jesus knows what you are going through. He knows even our “Arthritis” In God’s Kingdom you are not just a number. You are known. You are seen. You are called.

Jesus calls you by name in your joy and in your sorrow. He calls you by name when your faith is strong and when it is weak. He reminds you, “You are mine” So this week, walk with that assurance. The risen Christ knows you personally and walks with you. “I have called you by name, you are mine.”

I wish you a very blessed week filled with God’s grace.

Pastor Harun

04/17/2026

Weekly Devotion “Christ Jesus lives today! 4-16-2026

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen!



We are still in Easter season. I like the song, “He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!” (UMH 310). This song was written around 1933, by Alfred Ackley. He was responding to a student who had challenged him by asking why he should be worshipping a dead person. This bothered Ackley and he replied, “He lives! I tell you; he is not dead but lives here and now! I can prove it by my own experience, as well as the testimony of countless thousands.”

After resurrection Jesus continued to appear to his followers, but they didn’t recognize him immediately:

-Mary mistook Jesus for a gardener (John 20 :15).

-The disciples in the locked room thought he was a ghost (Luke 24:37).

-Thomas said, "Unless I see the mark of the nails and put my finger on those marks, I will not believe." (John 20:25)

-The two followers on the road to Emmaus thought he was just a traveling stranger (Luke 24:18).

After what happened on Good Friday, death was too final for them. Sorrow, grief, fear, doubts, and despair weighed heavily on them. They didn’t expect Jesus to resurrect.

Jesus joined the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, but they didn’t recognize him. They thought he was a stranger in Jerusalem. Jesus took this opportunity to interpret to them the scriptures and showed them how the prophecies had been written about him. He showed them how his death was part of God’s redeeming plan. A story characterized by Chaos and hopelessness turned out to be a life-changing, life-giving event that empowered them. It is amazing how God can create good even out of Chaos like the one of Good Friday.

Do we have stories of our lives that seem to be characterized by Chaos and hopelessness?

While at the dinner table; Jesus took bread, he gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. Immediately they recognized him as the risen Christ. He was no longer a stranger. He was the Lord walking and talking with them in their sorrow, fear and doubts.

The Emmaus Road can be both a literal road and a spiritual journey.

-It can be the road we walk when we find ourselves dealing with all kinds of problems.

-It can be a road we struggle with in issues of war and finding peace.

- It can be a road we experience when we lose a loved one.

-It can be the road of doubts and fear as we ask what will happen.



Some of us may be walking that very road today. The Good news is that we are not alone on Emmaus Road. Christ always joins us on that road. We might not recognize him immediately but like the disciples who recognized him in the breaking of the bread, we also know that Jesus is with us.

Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart



Pastor Harun

03/26/2026

Crossroad/Trinity Weekly Devotion: The Triumphant Entry 3-26-2026

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord (Mark 11:9)



We are still in the season of Lent, and this Sunday we enter Holy Week by celebrating Palm Sunday. It is a day that reminds us of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.



As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds gathered with excitement. They spread their cloaks on the road, waved palm branches, and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” The word Hosanna means “Save us now”. The moment was filled with hope and celebration. The long-awaited King had finally come.



But this was no ordinary king. He did not arrive on a warhorse, but on a donkey which was symbolic of peace. He did not come to overthrow nations, but to transform hearts. The people were hoping for deliverance from Roman oppression, but they did not yet understand that His victory would come through sacrifice.



Palm Sunday reminds us how easy it is to praise Jesus when things look hopeful, yet struggle to follow Him when the path leads to the cross. The same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would soon grow quiet. On Good Friday some would shout, “Crucify Him”.



As we step into Holy Week, we are invited to examine our own hearts. Do we welcome Jesus only when He meets our expectations? Or are we willing to follow Him in humility, surrender, and sacrificial love?



Jesus still comes to us today, not in force, but in peace. He comes gently, inviting us to trust Him, to lay down our burdens, and to follow Him on the road that leads through the cross to new life. May you have a meaningful Palm Sunday and a blessed Holy Week.



Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the humble King who came in peace. Help us to trust you and to follow you. Teach us to walk in Your ways, even when it is difficult. Amen.



Harun

01/23/2026

Hello Crossroads followers. Due to freezing temps and possible snow we will not be having service on Sunday January 25th. We want everyone to be safe. If you dont need to be out please stay home and stay safe. We look forward to seeing you next week. God Bless!

01/08/2026

Crossroads/Trinity. Weekly Devotion . “Come Thou fount of every blessing” 1-8-2026
God is good all the time — and all the time, God is good.

Last Sunday in worship, we celebrated the beginning of a new year. Together, we renewed our covenant with God. We prayed for God’s guidance and protection for 2026. And as we looked back over 2025, we know that it had challenges and uncertainties. We thanked God for the ways the Lord walked with us through it all. We now step into this new year trusting that the same faithful God will continue to walk with us.
As this year began, I found myself meditating on the words of the hymn:
“Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise…
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.”

This hymn was written in 1758 by Robert Robinson. Robinson lost his parents at a young age and fell into the wrong crowd, living a troubled life. But God intervened. Through God’s grace, Robinson came to faith in Christ, and out of that experience he wrote this hymn.
He was reflecting on the scripture in 1 Samuel 7:12, Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” The word Ebenezer means “Stone of Help” .
Samuel wanted the Israelites to remember how God had come to their rescue. God had intervened and helped them from their attackers. For Robinson, the “Ebenezer” was his own life, evidence that God had sought him, rescued him, and changed him.
And the same is true for us. Each of us can look back and say, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” God has intervened in our lives. God has carried us through hard seasons. God has rescued us, forgiven us, healed us, and given us hope.
As we enter this new year, we raise our own Ebenezer. We remember what God has already done and we trust God for what lies ahead. No matter what challenges 2026 may bring, we step forward in faith, confident that the God who has helped us “thus far” will continue to lead us.
I wish you all a very blessed and joyful New Year. May 2026 be filled with God’s grace, God’s presence, and God’s peace. Grace and peace to you all.
Harun